Cabela’s to Sponsor Seven B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Events This Season
Mike Bolton 02.21.12
Cabela’s, the iconic hunting and fishing outfitter, announced today that it will be the title sponsor for all seven major events for the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation this season. The announcement came as part of Bassmaster Classic week this week in Shreveport, La.
The B.A.S.S. Federation Nation is a grassroots organization that serves tens of thousands of amateur anglers and their bass clubs in the United States and in seven other countries. Weekend tournament anglers can fish their way through various local, state and regional tournaments with six amateur anglers eventually landing a spot in the Bassmaster Classic.
“B.A.S.S. Federation Nation is a leader in promoting and preserving fishing through top-notch competitive events,” said Scott Williams, Cabela’s Chief Marketing and E-Commerce officer. “Cabela’s is proud to support B.A.S.S. and all affiliated anglers across the nation. We are looking forward to a great year of fishing.”
Six Federation Nation divisional events — the Southern, Western, Central, Northern, Mid-Atlantic and Eastern — serve as qualifiers for the annual championship. The 2012 season will kick off with the March 28-30 Cabela’s B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Southern Divisional on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston, Fla.
The season will wrap up in the fall with the 2012 Cabela’s B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship. The event determines the six amateur qualifiers for the 2013 Bassmaster Classic. In addition, the one overall Federation Nation champion will be invited in 2013 to join the upper echelon of professional competition, the Bassmaster Elite Series.
A new Cabela’s-sponsored bonus program, Cabela’s Big Bass, will award $200 to the angler who weighs in the heaviest bass at each of the seven Federation Nation tournaments scheduled for 2012.
Mike Bolton, 56, served as the outdoors writer for the Birmingham News for 25 years until his retirement in 2009. He won the AP Sweepstakes Award for best sports story in Alabama on eight occasions and his stories on the Cahaba River were nominated for a Pulitizer Prize. He has also contributed to Sporting Classics, Bassmaster Magazine, Buckmasters Magazine and other national pubications.
